Official Spring Practice Thread

[cwessel76]

I think he got passed up now by a layer or two. Tweener in the 3-4

Unless he’s inside in an attacking 4-3 defense he will always be a tweener.

 

[vailhusker]

 

[Pipe Line]

Can't wait to get them scrimmage sauce ass nugs let's goooooooooooooooooooooooo

 

[slattimer]

How is Dawson as a Coach? Idk one way or the other. I thought when he left the 1st time Deab and RSSers were saying it was addition by subtraction - I could be confusing him with someone else though

I've got a pretty high opinion of Dawson...and Toitui. Both of those positions have dramatically gotten better when they arrived (Toitui) or came back.

 

[vailhusker]

The main highlights were on defense, according to Husker players and coaches who addressed media.
"The offense and defense have been going back and forth all spring," Nebraska tight ends coach Sean Beckton said. "Today, I didn't think the offense came out with the right attitude or mentality that we need to be champions on a daily basis. We have to learn from that.

"We picked it up as the practice went along. But in order for us to be great, as soon as we hit that grass field, we have to make sure we're locked and loaded. For the most part, the defense pretty much gave it to us today."

The defense showed right at the start — on the first play, in fact — that it had the upper hand in terms of energy, Beckton said.

"We're going to bounce back," he said.
Some other nuggets:

* Fifth-year junior Matt Sichterman has risen up the depth chart in Greg Austin’s offensive line room and is a real contender for the starting right guard job.
He has stiff competition, primarily from talented redshirt freshman Brant Banks, but Austin said he is “proud” of how the veteran Sichterman has turned himself from a reserve into a potential front-line guy.

“He’s done a really good job of being consistent, he’s been a leader — a vocal leader — and he’s been everything that we’ve ever asked him to be and been a pretty productive offensive lineman for us," Austin said. "So I’m pretty proud of him and looking forward to where he goes and what he does with that position.”
* Walk-on freshman running back Jacquez Yant of Tallahassee, Florida, continues to turn heads. "He's been a big surprise for our entire offensive staff with how well he's running the football."
* Freshman tight end Thomas Fidone had his best day as a Husker, with about four receptions in the scrimmage, Beckton said.

 

[vailhusker]

 

[vailhusker]

 

[vailhusker]

Coaches and players from Nebraska’s offense spoke with reporters Wednesday and made it clear the other side of the ball ruled that day's practice.
NU offensive line coach Greg Austin said the problem was simple yet frustrating: A lack of consistent play all over the place.
“It was the whole offense,” Austin said. “Pick a position — the guys weren’t dialed into the details of what they were doing. Certainly our defense played with more energy this morning initially and it continued throughout practice.

“… Sometimes you have to have a wakeup call to let you know you’re not as good as you think you are. I think today was one of those days.”

Still, the competition on the line has evolved as the Huskers draw closer to the May 1 spring game. Austin said as many as nine linemen could play in games right now — the key will be getting everyone to buy into their roles.
Junior Matt Sichterman has continued his strong spring, Austin said, and is becoming the vocal leader of the line as he competes for the open spot at right guard. The Cincinnati native will graduate in May. At left guard, junior Broc Bando continues to battle with Nouredin Nouili and Ethan Piper. Trent Hixson is taking reps at center behind starter Cam Jurgens.

Working at tackle behind presumed starters Turner Corcoran and Bryce Benhart are Brant Banks, Nouili and Ezra Miller, Austin said. Nouili — a seven-game starter at Colorado State in 2019 — has had to adapt to NU’s different style of offense and get into better physical shape, Austin said, which he has done well.

Other quick hits from the media availability:
» Big Ten kicker of the year Connor Culp sat out Saturday’s open practice but participated Wednesday. “Everything’s good,” Culp said. “It’s fine.”
» Culp said scholarship punter Daniel Cerni, an Australia native, had almost no understanding of American football when he arrived in the United States last summer. But he’s settled in now and showing off a strong leg in practices, Culp said.
» Hixson said one illustration of how far the O-line has come is that older players like himself are the ones teaching newcomers about technique. He said coaches did almost all the instructing a few years ago.

 

[SoCal_Corn]

Good to hear. Sounded like the OFF was beating on the DEF for the first parts of Spring.

Hopefully its MORE about the D and less about the O.

 

[vailhusker]

 

[vailhusker]

 

[vailhusker]

It was a busy post-practice interview session with the big boys – and a kicker.

Various offensive linemen, kicker Connor Culp, as well as assistant coaches Greg Austin and Sean Beckton, held court. Austin was up front for quite a bit.

Some Quick Hits:

– Both Beckton and Austin said the offense had a "wake-up call" day in the Wednesday scrimmage. "Guys had been consistent all spring and we didn't come out as consistent as we wanted to – across the board," according to the O-line coach. "It was the whole offense. Pick a position. Guys weren't into the details of what they were doing and certainly our defense played with more energy initially, and they carried it through practice.


"Overall, not to our standard."

– That last quote was an offensive coach talking. Had a defensive coach been up there, it may have been more upbeat. Austin said that group was "flying around" and making their scheme work. "This morning they did a pretty damn good job."

– Austin overall feels good about the offense throughout the spring as a whole. "Sometimes you need a wake-up call to know, hey, you're not as good as you think you are."

– The coach makes no excuses for Nebraska having running backs out. He said his guys need to "just do your job. I don't give a damn what running back is in there."

– Jacquez Yant was asked about. Austin called him a big, fast back. "He's going to bring some thunder to you. The offensive line, we've got to get ourselves out of the way, he's going to run our ass over."

– Trent Hixson said left tackle Turner Corcoran is having a really strong spring. Austin said the freshmen is doing well, with some young guy things that still pop up.

– Nouredin Nouili got an unsolicited mention from Austin for his work at left tackle. "He's going to be one heckuva player. He's going to contribute this fall for us."

Austin said Nouili came in and he was fat. "I'll say that. He knows that." But Nouili trimmed up and quickly got a good feel for the offense. He doesn't seem to the coach like a guy who only played one year of high school football.

– Austin thinks he has nine guys at least that can play. "The challenge is puzzling it, but the challenge is also is making the guys understand where their value is. When you got that many guys that can play for you, we live in a world where guys can transfer at free will. So you got to recruit them while they're here, while you're coaching them."

– Ezra Miller would also probably be in that top group of nine. "His better days of football are ahead of him too."

– Matt Sichtmeran, who has been getting reps with the 1s at right guard, "has taken full advantage" of his shot, according to the coach. He wasn't sure what Sichterman was going to do coming into the spring but he's been consistent and a vocal leader.

– Sichterman is a computer program and really smart, which doesn't hurt. "He has a good feel for leadership, a good feel for when to put the buttons of the younger guys. ... And then he's a good teacher."

– Brant Banks is working at guard and tackle, Austin said. "He's such a long kid, getting him to stay in his hips, but every single day you can see some progress from him. ... He's a solid player who were looking to use in multiple positions this year."

– Hixson said he feels much more comfortable at center compared to last fall. "He stepped into a role and accepted his role and done a good job with it."

– Henry Lutovsky has much to learn, but competes his tail off, according to Austin. That includes getting in the occasional fight after the whistle.

 

[vailhusker]

 

[SoCal_Corn]

Lets just give him the ball, Frosty

 

[Pipe Line]

Glad to see QB fumbles are getting better

 

[Faux Sean Callahan]

I've got a pretty high opinion of Dawson...and Toitui. Both of those positions have dramatically gotten better when they arrived (Toitui) or came back.

Ya pretty much the only coaches I question or don't think can coach are Held and Mario. The jury is out on Lubick, but I do like some of his passing concepts and think they can be really tough to stop

 

[KidsSeeGhosts]

I'm just going to assume that this all means we have a kick ass defense.

 

[Blackshirts44]

I’m a big fan of Culp. Seems to be a good fit here. If you close your eyes and listen to him talk he sounds like a 70 year old small town farmer

 

[vailhusker]

 

[KidsSeeGhosts]

Good to see Ervin back. Helluva play by Gifford on Allen. Dude is really setting up to be Jojo 2. Getting the feeling that Cam Taylor is going to play himself into some big money this season.